The semester has found its rhythm and so has campus life. If you’re looking for ways to plug back into conversation and community, here are a few gatherings we think are worth your time.
Art and politics
March opens with artists and scholars questioning how culture responds to crises.
Performance and installation artists Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme join NYU media, culture, and communications professor Nicholas Mirzoeff on March 4 for a conversation on multimedia practices as a site of resistance and political imagination. Presented by the BFA photography and the M.A. media studies programs at Parsons School of Design, the discussion will explore how sound, image, and performance can reframe narratives shaped by colonial and capitalist systems.
Basel Abbas & Ruanne Abou-Rahme in Conversation with Nicholas Mirzoeff: March 4, 7 p.m., Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall, Room 404
Following that, IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond visits campus for a session to discuss the future of cinema — a rare opportunity to hear from one of the creators responsible for the global blockbuster model.
“The Big Picture” Strategy, Scale, and the Future of Cinema with IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond: March 5, 2-3:30 p.m., Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall, Room 407
Later in the month, the 30th anniversary screening of The Watermelon Woman will celebrate director and writer Cheryl Dunye’s landmark 1996 feature film. On March 11, Dunye, this year’s Hirshon Artist-in-Residence, will be joined in conversation by producer Alexandra Juhasz.
30th Anniversary Screening of The Watermelon Woman (1996): March 11, 6-8 p.m., Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Auditorium
Can’t make it to the screening? Catch Dunye at two other events that week as part of the Hirshon Artist-in-Residence program at Parsons: a Q&A on March 10 and a narrative design filmmaking master class on March 11.
2026 Dorothy Hirshon Artist-in-Residence: Cheryl Dunye Spotlight Q&A: March 10, 6-8 p.m., University Center, John L. Tishman Auditorium
Master Class with 2026 Dorothy Hirshon Artist-in-Residence, Cheryl Dunye: March 11, 1-3 p.m., University Center, The Bob and Sheila Hoerle Lecture Hall
The month closes with a screening on March 30 of African Apocalypse, a film tracing the violent colonial legacy of Captain Paul Voulet. Filmmaker Rob Lemkin will attend for a post-film Q&A.
African Apocalypse Movie Screening: March 30, 7-9:30 p.m., Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Auditorium
Music and performance
March also brings an extensive lineup of live performances across campus. The Stone at the College of Performing Arts continues its March residency series. Arnhold Hall’s Glassbox Theater will feature performances from experimental and avant-garde artists such as pianist Aruan Ortiz (playing March 4-7), drummer Brian Chase (playing March 11-14), and cellist Theresa Wong (playing March 25-28).
The Stone at The New School: March Residencies: Wednesdays-Saturdays through March 28, 8:30 p.m., Arnhold Hall, Glassbox Theater
The Women in Jazz Organization returns for its third annual International Women’s Day celebration on March 6. The event will feature a house band with Miki Yamanaka on piano, Devon Gates on bass, and Holly Channel on drums, followed by an open jam session hosted by jazz vocalist Allegra Levy.
Later in the month, Mannes Sounds: A Celebration of Commedia dell’Arte brings together students from Mannes School of Music, the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and the School of Drama for an evening inspired by comedic traditions of the Italian Renaissance. If you can’t make this performance, don’t worry — you can catch other events from the Mannes Sounds Festival happening this month.
Mannes Sounds: A Celebration of Commedia dell’Arte: March 25, 7:30-9:30 p.m., University Center, John L. Tishman Auditorium
Creative Careers & Writing Craft
If you’re already thinking about internships or what happens after your last semester, this is your section.
The BBA Strategic Design and Management program is hosting an alumni networking event on March 3, featuring a panel of recent grads working in the industry. They return to campus to talk honestly about first roles, unexpected pivots, and what the day-to-day actually looks like after graduation. The panel is followed by a mixer, which means real networking, offering a nice break from endless LinkedIn scrolling.
BBA Alumni Panel 2026: March 3, 6 p.m., The Microsoft Garage, 300 Lafayette St., New York, NY
Later in the month, Giorgia Lupi, an information designer and partner at Pentagram design studio, will visit campus to discuss her philosophy, “Data Humanism,” and how storytelling and design intersect. For anyone interested in branding and data, this is a chance to hear how big ideas translate into tangible projects.
Giorgia Lupi: March 24, 7-9 p.m., Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall, The Auditorium
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts’ weekly writer event series Lang Craft Talks is having virtual events on Tuesdays all month long. The March 3 event featured nonfiction writer and associate professor of writing Emily Van Duyne. The series continues next week with author Milo Todd and after spring break with poet Eugenia Leigh and writer Andy Izenson, offering virtual, craft-focused sessions that feel more like studio time than a lecture.
Lang Craft Talks featuring Emily Van Duyne: March 3, 2026, 12:30-1 p.m., virtual
Lang Craft Talks featuring Milo Todd: March 10, 2026, 12:30-1 p.m., virtual
Lang Craft Talks featuring Eugenia Leigh: March 24, 12:30-1 p.m., virtual
Lang Craft Talks featuring Andy Izenson: March 31, 12:30-1:30 p.m., virtual
Get out there and engage with all our university has to offer — and check back next month for another event roundup!
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